


Dating Howard Stark

by ClillaryHinton



Category: Agent Carter (TV)
Genre: Cartinelli - Freeform, F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-05
Updated: 2015-10-05
Packaged: 2018-04-25 00:41:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,826
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4940080
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ClillaryHinton/pseuds/ClillaryHinton
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Howard Stark asks Angie out, Peggy is not amused.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Dating Howard Stark

**Author's Note:**

> Fear not, the title shouldn't be taken too literally. I'm sure this has been done several times already, but felt like writing something short and this is what my brain blurted out. There should probably be period type homophobia in there somewhere but homophobia is boring and I couldn't be arsed, frankly. Sorry it's not proper smut, next story!

Angie had already guessed that Peggy might not be a fan of the idea of her going on a date with Howard Stark. But she hadn't expected a… tantrum. The expression on Peggy's face when she saw the cream colored note on Angie's dressing table had been all thunderstorm.

"Really, Angie! What are you THINKING!"

"I'm thinking that Howard Stark knows a lot of people and wants to start a film studio. There's gonna be a famous Broadway producer there an' all. And Howard is letting me stay in his super fancy penthouse for free, which is pretty nice of him. Besides, between double shifts at the Automat and the amount of auditions I've been on this week, I could use a night out. You should go out too, Pegs. Live a little." 

Angie hummed along to the Glenn Miller on the radio and held two pairs of earrings up for Peggy to choose from.

"Which ones?"

Peggy wasn't having it.

"You can't be serious."

"You're not sounding like this guy is a friend of yours right now, Pegs."

"I love Howard like a brother. And trust him with my female friends like I would a rattlesnake."

"I may not be a secret agent super spy, but I can take care of myself, you know". 

Peggy smiled coldly.

"You shouldn't have to "take care of yourself."

"You don't mind if I borrow this, right?"

She didn't wait for an answer before putting Peggy's cherry red lipstick on. They never asked each other for permission, that's not how they were. 

Peggy shrugged, an annoyed, brusque motion, arms tensely crossed. 

Angie smiled softly. Even like this, furious and childishly grumpy, Peggy was beautiful. Even in such a foul temper, there was no one Angie would rather be with and nowhere she would rather be. But still, she had to go. 

There was a knock on the door. For once, Mr. Jarvis was driving Angie, not Peggy.

"It's gonna be swell. Don't worry, Pegs."

Angie kissed Peggy's cheek as she walked past, leaving a trace of cherry red. 

"There's rhubarb pie in the fridge if you're staying in."

"Mmmhmm."

Angie couldn't help smiling again. Peggy was awful at feigning disinterest. 

***

Howard was a great host: charming, attentive, smart and funny, nothing like the smarmy seducer Angie had expected after hearing all the stories of his womanizing. She started to get why he got lucky all the time. It wasn't seduction as much as making a gal feel special. 'Cause Angie had to admit, she was feeling pretty special right now. 

The ballroom was spectacular. Angie twirled around so she could look at the crystal chandeliers from all angles. There was gold EVERYWHERE. She hadn't seen anything like this in her entire life. Howard Stark was a surprisingly good dancer. And the guests? Politicians, millionaires and OH MY GOD: Sally Parker! She had seen her in West of Desire three times at The Roxy last year. She was so star struck… She tried to mind her manners, reign her accent in, try to look like she belonged when she was introduced to the producer of one of last year’s biggest Broadway hits, a well-known Hollywood screenwriter and one of the President's aides. Peggy would have known exactly what to do in each of those situations. But Angie was an actress and this was just acting, same as any other audition and she tried to see it that way. 

Around midnight, they found themselves alone in a corner. Angie and her aching feet were grateful for the reprieve. She was starting to wonder if Howard was going to try to put the moves on her before the evening was over or if he might simply be too scared of Peggy to try to seduce her best friend. She gratefully sipped the champagne he brought her. She hadn't planned on telling Howard Stark that she had never had champagne before. But the filter between brain and mouth had never worked very well for Angie. 

"God… This might just be the nicest thing I've have ever had."

"We aim to please!"

Howard's perky moustache beamed at her. 

"Howard…? Why did you bring me tonight and not Peggy?"

"Oh, you know Peggy: all work and no play. And who says I didn't just want to spend an evening in the company of a beautiful and interesting woman."

"Yeah… Like Peggy."

Angie almost dropped the empty glass.

Because there she was, walking down the stairs. But it wasn't the Peggy she is used to. This bombshell in the low cut, floor length sweeping dress, movie star hair and smoky eyes wasn't her friend. This woman made Sally Parker invisible. Angie's heart was beating distractingly fast. She threw the rest of the champagne back like it was a shot of moonshine.

"Well, this should be interesting."

Howard sounds gleeful, like a little boy who found a shiny marble in the street. He doesn't sound the least bit surprised that Peggy's there.

"You invited Peggy too?"

"Not exactly. But I'm not sure there's a doorman in Manhattan who would dare to turn Peggy Carter away. I told Jarvis to keep an eye out for her, had a feeling she might show up."

"You did?"

"Mmhmm."

"I'm just going to…"

"Yeahyeah, go ahead, I'll be fine."

Howard went to spread his graces around the room.

Peggy stopped at the bottom of the stairs and swept the room with her eyes.  
She at least had the decency to look a little sheepish when Angie tapped her on the shoulder. 

"This wasn't exactly what I had in mind when I said you should go out, Peg."

Angie talked with a bravado she didn't feel. Peggy was distractingly attractive and she tried desperately not to stare.

"Can I talk to you?"

Peggy was still upset, that much was obvious. But there was also an almost pleading undertone.

"Sure."

"Not here."

Peggy took her arm, pulled her away from the dance floor and into the closet. 

"Give us a few moments?"

The coat checker nodded nervously at the commanding tone of Peggy's voice. 

"Did you come here to protect my virtue from Howard Stark, the handsome and charming millionaire? Who's been treatin' me like royalty all evening?"

"Well, that's Howard for you."

"Geez Peg, I'm really grateful that you're here to protect me from that horror."

"Angie, he's using you."

"Like the guy at the automat who's always trying to get a free refill and grab my ass? Well, that's the story of my life. At least Howard's got class."

"But, Angie…"

"You know, English… If I didn't know any better, I'd say that you were jealous. Which would be ridiculous."

"Absolutely! Ridiculous."

"Cause that would have to mean you were sweet on me."

"You're quite right, that would be ridiculous."

"Unless I were sweet on you too, of course. But that would be ridiculous, right?"

"Yes. Ridiculous…"

But Peggy sounded much less certain. 

"Howard Stark is being a perfect gentleman and he's treating me swell, so you can leave. 'Cause if you stay… Well, that would make a gal think that you're jealous."

"You can be rather infuriating, do you know that?"

"Good thing you're not sweet on me, then."

"Very good, yes."

Peggy took a step back, as if she were leaving. But then she stopped.

"Cause if you were… And if I were sweet on you too, then I might not make it back to Howard at all. I might wanna stay here with you."

"In the closet?"

"I think THAT particular ship would have sailed by then."

Peggy took a few steps closer. 

"So are you… Going back to Howard?"

Angie did the same. She could almost feel Peggy's breath on her lips. 

"Sure. Unless you're going to show me how not-jealous you are?"

"I'm not jealous in the least."

The words were enunciated very clearly, so close to Angie's lips that she could almost, almost… 

Angie cupped Peggy's neck at the same time as Peggy wrapped her arms around her waist and kissed her. 

"I like it when you're not jealous." Angie breathed against her lips before going back to kissing her.

As they managed to back themselves into a pile of over dimensioned mink coats, they burst out laughing.

"It's Narnia!" Peggy exclaimed, cheeks flushed and lips swollen from kissing. She looked at Angie with such hunger in her eyes, she almost couldn't bear it. Angie ran the pad of her thumb against Peggy's lower lip. 

"More like paradise."

Angie had only a vague memory that there was someone she was here to see, something she was expected to do. She was drunk on Peggy's kisses and her skin against her own. 

"Come home with me?"

"But… Howard…" Angie whispered between kisses, making one last valiant effort to care about something other than getting Peggy alone.

"Never mind about bloody Howard! He has had practically every girl in Manhattan, he can't have the only one I want."

"So I can do better than Howard Stark."

Peggy smiled against her lips, before kissing her again.

The coat checker made a discreet noise to announce that he was back and they reluctantly broke apart. Angie felt guilty for abandoning Howard for about two seconds before taking Peggy's hand and dragging her towards the door. 

As they were just about to walk out, Edwin Jarvis showed up.

"Miss Martinelli, Miss Carter, good evening."

"Mr. Jarvis."

Peggy was brief, bordering on curt.

"Are you leaving, Miss Martinelli?"

"I… Yeah. Could you tell Howard I've had a great night and I'm sorry I just walked out on him? Hope he finds some other girl to amuse him, I'm…"

"She's spoken for."

Peggy took her hand. Angie's heart swelled. 

"Oh, Mr. Stark is well aware of that fact."

"Excuse me?"

"I have a message for you Miss Carter, from Mr. Stark. I believe it was, pardon the language, 'Don't mind that you're cutting in. Glad you finally grew a pair, pal."

Peggy rolled her eyes.

"Bloody Nora... This whole thing?"

"Afraid so, Miss Carter."

"Tell him he's a no good… Tell him he's a … Tell him… Thank you, Mr. Jarvis."

"Will do, Miss Carter."

In the cab home, Peggy slowly drove Angie crazy by running her thumb over the soft skin on her wrist, under her coat so the cab driver wouldn't see. Angie smiled.

"So, this whole thing was a setup, huh?"

"If I hadn't shown up there to make an arse out of myself, Howard wouldn't have had any problems stepping in, I assure you."

"Right now, I feel like kissing Howard Stark."

She put a finger on Peggy's lips to stop the protests she knew would be coming.

"But it would never have happened."

"No?"

"Nope. There's only one war hero that gets to take me home."

"When did you…"

"Day one. You had me at your first rhubarb pie."

Peggy smiled softly.

"You had me at peach schnapps."


End file.
